A Conversation with a Ferret

He climbed up into his cage and went to the sleeping-floor in his Ferret Nation mansion house. He looked at me expectantly.

"Well?" he said.

"Well what?" I asked. I was eating my bagel.

"Well, I'm in my house aren't I!" he puffed and sighed impatiently, cocking his head to the side and giving me a confused look.

"Indeed you are, my love," I told him.

He ran down the little metal ladder that took him to the first platform He went down the other ladder to firmly plant his feet on the first floor. He stood next to the water bowl, staring intently. His muscles were rigid.

"Why won't you give it to me?" he said frantically.

"Give what?" I asked as I shoved another piece of cinnamon-sugar bagel into my mouth.

"Give what! Give what!" he huffed. He ran upstairs, into his bedroom. "I climbed in all myself," he said to me. "I climbed in all by myself!"

"I know," I said. I lean in to scratch behind his ears, but he veers away.

"Oh! I know!" he says excitedly. He climbs up one more ladder to where his food bowl is. He looks in the food bowl and appears crushed. "You're being mean," he told me.

"You know," I tell him, "when I give you your treat that means you stay."

"I know, I know," he tells me, pacing back and forth. He gets to the very edge of the open doors. "I know, I know. I'll be good. I won't ask to come out."

"Okay," I say. I go to the treats drawer and pull out some yogies. Opening the lid, I thrust it in front of his nose. He sniffs and sniffs, finally picking one he wants and then taking it away from the edge. I begin closing his doors, but in his haste he drops the yogie and it falls to the ground.

"No! No! It's mine!" he cries. He's so upset. I pick it up, wipe it off and give it back to him. He happily forgets his sorrows and takes it far away from the edge.

"Are you happy now?" I ask him teasingly. He doesn't let me scratch his head but I know he is grateful.

"Very much so. Thank you mum," he tells me.

"You be good."

"Okay."

"Bye, love."

"Bye."